Robe confiner



Mar. 6, 1923.

A. M. BowzER ROBE CONFINER Filed Aug. 17, 1921 zu@ 011.7 ATTUHNEYE Patented Mar. 1933.

Mamie rar f AUGsTUs M. Bowznn, ori-LYNN, Massacnuenrrs.

none contanten.V

Application filed August 17, 1921. Serial'No. 492,984.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS M. Bow- Zinn, a ycitizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essexfand State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Robe-Continue, of which the following is a specification.

.This invention relates to means for confining a robe which is hung in a folded condition on a rod secured tol the back of an automobile seat,` against removal from said rod excepting by a person possessing a key.

The object ofthe invention is to provide an improved robe coniner having jaws adapted to be quickly and conveniently closed upon a rodsupported folded robe, automatically locked when so closed, and adapted to be conveniently unlocked and opened to release the robe.

The invention is embodied in the improvements which 1 will now proceed to. describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,-

Figure 1 is a side view of a robe-confiner embodying the invention, a part of the caS- ing being removed.

Figure 2 is a view similar to a portion of Figure 1.`

Figure 3 is an edge view.

Figure 4.- is a fragmentary section on line 4-#11 of Figure 1. j

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view, showing a portion of the casing in section on line 5-5 of Figure 1, parts above the said line being shown in elevation.

Figure 6 is a side view of the key adapted to cooperate with the mechanism shown by Figures 1, 2 and 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the coniiner engaged with a rod-supported folded robe.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

12 and 13 represent a pair of swinging arms, provided at their outer ends with opposed robe-engaging jaws 14C, 14, adapted to be closed upon a folded robe 15, depending from the supporting rod 16, as indicated by Figure 7. A hinge connection is provided between the inner ends of the arms, said connection including a pin or pintle 18, engaged with a circular enlargement or hinge member 21 at the inner end of the arm 13,

and a hollow hinge member in which said enlargement isadapted to turn, said hollow member being formed on the arm 12, and constituting a casing having walls 19 and 20. VEhe casing wall 20 is preferably a plate, removably secured by rivets 22 to a seat 23 formed on the arm 12, the wall 19 being integral with the arm'12, as shown by Figure 5.

The carrier enlargement 21 is provided with a segmental ratchet-toothed portion 25,

the main portion of which is within the said casing. The casing is provided preferably in the cover portion or wall 20 thereof with a key-hole 26, communicating with a recess .in the casing. Fivoted at 27 within said recess, is a plurality of spring pressed pawls 2S mounted to turn on a common axis and normally engaging a tooth of the toothed portion 25, the arrangement of the ratchet teeth and pawls being such that they permit only a closing movement of the jaws 111, and prevent an opening movement of the jaws, so that it is necessary to displace the pawls before the jaws can be opened.

Three pawls 2S are preferably employed, as shown by Figure 5. Each of these pawls is pressed independently against the toothed portion 25, by a spring 30.

T he pawls are provided with suitable keyengaging means movable by a key inserted in the casing through the key-hole 2G, to displace the pawls and permit an opening move ment of the jaws.

1 have embodied the key-engaging means in spaced apart ears or tumblers 32 (Figure 5), there being an ear or tumbler on each pawl. The said tumblers are formed and arranged to be displaced simultaneously, and

permit an opening movement of the jaws 14;

only by a key formed in accordance with said tumblers.

ByA reference to Figure 5 it will be seen that the tumblers are of dierent lengths, and project different distances from the common axis of the pawls, so that they are engageable only by a key 33 having bits 34 formed in accordance with said tumblers, as indicated by Figure 6, the bits being also of different lengths and projecting different distances from the axis of the key, and by dotted lines in Figure 5. A simultaneous displacement of the tumblers and pawls is necessary to permit the opening movement of the jaws, consequently if a key is inserted,

which cannot simultaneously displace all the tumblers and pawls, the jaws cannot be opened.

It will now be seen that to prepare the confiner for engagement with a foldedzrobe, the key is inserted to displace the pawls. The jaws are then opened far enough to permit their convenient application to the robe. The key is then removed and the jaws are closed upon the robe and automatically locked in their closed position.

As shown by Figure 7, the conner may be anchored to a suitable support such as the back of an automobile seat 34, by a tether 35, composedof a short length of chain attached at one end of the support 34, and at its other end to an ear 36 on one of the arms or carriers.

The arms 12 and 13 are permanently connected by the hinge pintle 18, so that they cannot be separated or detached from each other;

I claim: A robe-confiner comprlsing a pair of carriers provided with opposed robe-engaging jaws, connections between ysaid carriers permitting opening and closing move-ments of the jaws, one carrier being provided with a series ofl transverse ratchet teeth, and the other with a casing having a keyhole, a row ofspring-pressed independent pawls located side by side on a common axis, in said easing, and adaptedto simultaneously engage either of said ratchet teeth, and thereby prevent movement of the jaws from each other, said pawls having spaced apart tumblers of different lengths, projecting different distances from the common axis of the pawls, and a key adapted to turn in said keyhole on an axis parallel `with the axis of the tumblers, and provided with spaced apart bits of different lengths projecting dilerent distances from the axis of the key, each tumbler being in the path of one of the key bits. l

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature.

AUGrUS'lvUSl M. BO'WZER.A 

